<p>I am an electrical engineering and economics double major at a top 20 school (Rice U) looking to go into IP law. I predict that my LSAT score will be about 167 or 168 or higher (which is about what I've been getting on practice tests) and that my graduating GPA will be about 3.2, 3.3, how do i stand at the following schools? </p>
<p>Emory
Cardozo
George Washington
Notre Dame
WashU
Boston College
Fordham
UC Hastings
Tulane</p>
<p>I'm hoping to practice IP law at a relatively large firm. Would those schools give me that opportunity or would it be better to look at lower ranked schools with highly regarded IP programs? Specifically, schools like Santa Clara University and the University of Houston. I know this question has been answered before, but coming out of those schools, how realistic would it be to expect to practice IP law at a large firm?</p>
<p>thanks... i've used that before but those calculators don't take into account the major or school. also, what are your opinions on my schools? will they give me an opportunity to work as a patent attorney at a large law firm (most arn't t14).</p>
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thanks... i've used that before but those calculators don't take into account the major or school. also, what are your opinions on my schools? will they give me an opportunity to work as a patent attorney at a large law firm (most arn't t14).
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</p>
<p>Well, the school you apply from and your major will not drastically affect how your GPA is perceived by an adcom, so the calculator is good enough.</p>
<p>any thoughts on the schools themselves and the opportunities they will provide for working in a large firm practicing IP law? Also, I noticed that many IP attorney's at large firms have either work experience or an advanced (master's) degree in their field. Is this necessary?
Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Will they really look at a 3.7 GPA in mechanical engineering under the same light as a 3.7 GPA in Economics? Especially if from two completely different schools - the first from a place like MIT and the second from a Tier 2 or 3 university?</p>
<p>"calculators don't take into account the major or school."</p>
<p>That's because law schools pretty much don't, either. Yes, it's better to be coming out of MIT than out of Chico State, but most good law schools see tons of kids coming out of great colleges, so don't expect much of a boost.</p>
<p>"Will they really look at a 3.7 GPA in mechanical engineering under the same light as a 3.7 GPA in Economics?"</p>
<p>Basically, yeah. USNews only measures the GPA of the 1L class, not whether they majored in basketweaving at Nowhere State. And USNews' opinion matters enormously to law schools.</p>
<p>so taking into account they wont factor in the fact that i am double majoring in electrical engineering and economics and that i attend a top-20 school, what would my chances be at the aforementioned schools? also, how are the post-grad opportunities at those schools. i'm not necessarily bent up on prestige of the firm at all, just a firm which would pay first year associates $100k-$125k and allow me to be able to pay off my loans.
thanks again!</p>
<p>I have a different opinion about how law schools evaluate transcripts than others on this board. I think, based upon my long experience with the law school admissions process and recruiting for my employers, that at least with respect to the admissions process at top law schools, in most cases, the admissions officers do indeed notice the difficulty of the coursework on your transcript, the breadth of your classes and the perceived difficulty level, grade inflation/deflation and quality of peers at your college. I have been told this reapeatedly over the years by admissions officers at many of the top law schools. At the end of the day, you need to have a strong GPA regardless of your major, but the differences between taking 12 credits a semester with a major in basketweaving versus taking 18 credits a semester with a double major in engineering and economics are readily apparent and hard to avoid taking into account. Of course, it's difficult, if not impossible, to quantify exactly what the effect of a difficult major at a college with intelligent, hard working peers and grade deflation might mean in terms of admissions, but it is noticed. The impression that it immediately creates is that the person who has done so is dedicated and hard working -- not a bad impression to leave behind in an admissions officer's mind.</p>
<p>Please don't discount the fact that someone who double majors in engineering and economics at a well regarded college, and who manages to achieve a solid GPA, will benefit from that for the rest of his or her life. The double major will always be on that person's resume, and it will always be quite impressive. In fact, years later when no one gives a hoot about your GPA in college, that double major will still be on your resume shining brightly.</p>
<p>I work for a high tech company, and have participated in the hiring decision for patent lawyers; when we're looking at candidates in a patent law position, we focus less on where they went to law school than on their technical educational background. A master's degree is a big plus; a Ph.D. is a bigger one.</p>
<p>There are a lot of career options open to patent attorneys outside the realm of the "fairly big law firm." Many patent attorneys go to work for "patent boutiques," smaller firms that specialize in patent work.</p>
<p>We've employed four patent lawyers and a patent agent where I work, in the time I've been here. One had a Ph.D. in physics, two have had master's degrees in engineering, and the remaining one earned an MBA afte rhe got here.</p>
<p>When I applied to MIT undergrad, I remember attending one Q&A session where one mother asked, "Should my son enroll in the hardest classes available to him? Do you prefer maybe lower grades in harder courses, or higher grades in courses that are a little easier?"</p>
<p>The MIT rep looked at this mother blankly for a moment before answering, "We find that most of the kids who are eventually admitted to MIT enroll in their high school's very hardest classes and receive very strong grades there."</p>
<p>thanks for all the replies! Greybeard--I know you cant divulge exact numbers, but about how much can one expect to make a year working as a patent attorney for a corporation such as your own (not necessarily general counsel at a fortune 100 company). also, would the salary at ip boutiques be comparable to those at a large firm? thanks!!</p>
<p>I am not trying to speak for Greybeard, but please note that most corporations do not hire attorneys coming right out of law school, as corporations do not have the time or resources to train and manage junior attorneys. Most in house hiring begins with attorneys that have a minimum of four to five years of experience, often more.</p>
<p>Sallyawp's general observations apply to my employer, as well. We almost never hire people straight out of law school. (The one exception in my department's history is an employment attorney who worked in HR for a few years before law school.</p>
<p>And unlike law firms, corporations aren't public about how much they pay people (except at the highest levels, where they're required to make public disclosures). There is survey information out there, though, that's more useful than anything anecdotal. Here's a link to one:</p>
<p>I just got accepted into Emory and was offered a 50% scholarship to Tulane with a 3.6 and a 160. I am hispanic so I dont know how much that played into their evaluation but those were my numbers. Hope that helps. I truly believe that they evaluate your enitre package and no one factor is the most important. I had professors who told me that I should retake the LSAT if I wanted to go to Emory and I was admitted anyways. I am still waiting on GW but my advice is study hard and swing for the fences.</p>